To actually find a job you like that won't be short-lived, you need to start with self-reflection, which can be broken down into several characteristics: "suitable," "enjoyable," "desired," and "adaptable."

【LIVESTREAM RECAP】

Since these points were covered in the livestream, this post focuses on practical assessment methods beyond internal self-reflection. Here are five steps:

This post covers the first step.

One: Company Health Assessment

The first step is the simplest—understand the company itself. Don't naively assume that because a friend worked there, the company is well-known, or your friend had a smooth experience, you can just try it too. And don't apply just because you "want to" without first researching whether the company, industry, and your own needs align. After all, one-sided assumptions are very dangerous.

But what methods can we use to assess company health?

We can simplify this into large corporations versus small companies and startups.

👩‍💼Large Companies:

Public financial statements are one indicator. If your industry is tech or traditional manufacturing—companies that typically operate on orders—and the company is publicly listed, it will have publicly available financial reports. Within these financial statements, there are three areas to check if the company is profitable:

1. Profitability Indicator: EPS (Earnings Per Share) After-Tax Net Income

After-tax net profit is the money a company earns annually, minus corporate income taxes. If EPS shows positive growth for five consecutive years, it indicates the company has very stable fundamentals and can weather financial turmoil. Regardless of how famous the company is externally, this is an excellent indicator. Some well-known companies have underwhelming EPS figures—the same logic applies to stock investing.

2. Debt-to-Equity Ratio

To understand a company's debt situation, look at the "debt ratio," which represents the proportion of the company's liabilities to its total assets. The higher the debt ratio, the tighter the company's financial situation; the lower the debt ratio, the better the financial health.

However, many large companies have higher debt due to operational needs. Shipping companies and financial institutions, for example, have high liabilities because aircraft and land are expensive. Some companies also have high debt in years when expanding operations. Therefore, examine the debt ratio over three to five years.

3. Revenue Growth Rate （Source reference for this section）

Why is revenue important?

（1）Revenue is the foundation of all income
After deducting costs, taxes, and other expenses, corporate profit will always be less than revenue, never greater. If the absolute revenue figure is too low, it cannot support significant talent and capital investment, limiting corporate growth.

（2）For enterprises to grow, revenue must grow
Conversely, revenue growth doesn't necessarily mean enterprise growth. Relative figures are often more important than absolute figures. Revenue growth rate often reveals an enterprise's growth cycle and can even indicate enterprise decline.

（3）Look at revenue growth rate

High revenue growth from stable income sources indicates strong enterprise growth momentum. If this growth momentum continues, as shareholder equity increases, dividends and stock prices naturally rise.

👩‍💼Small Companies:

My definition of small companies is those with 30 or fewer employees—relatively small organizational scale and limited or mediocre reputation.

To assess this type of company's health, first understand the company's history, such as how long it's been established, whether it's a subsidiary spun off from another parent company, the founder's background, and whether it has investments in other industries. Most importantly, check the Ministry of Economic Affairs Company Registration Search to learn the company's registered capital, industry, business scope, and status to determine if the company is legitimate.

（Note: Search by the company name）

Also research the owner's background to see if there are any negative news items or reports of absconding with funds. With internet information so readily available nowadays, such information usually appears. Or, to be cautious, you can even discreetly check their Facebook. It's much better than discovering after joining that your boss is not a good person and only exploits employees.

👩‍💼Startups:

Startups are trendy lately, typically tech or information companies with funding, such as PINKO, Dcard, Hahow, or ShopLine. These companies have received angel funding or gone through Series A, B funding rounds. The advantage is ample room for growth, founders typically keep pace with trends, work moves fast, and is quite challenging. However, the concern is whether company systems and maturity are well-established.

In this case, assess the founding team's background, including founders' credentials, experience, and character—all important. Look at partners and case studies. Of course, evaluate the angel capital behind them too, such as funding stability, company viability and growth potential.

Additionally, at startups, I believe having the right manager and supervisor matters. You can learn more about founders and business through the startup's website and examine how they manage social media and issue press releases—whether they're creative enough and willing to give young people opportunities. (I'll discuss this further later)

【BENEFITS EVALUATION】

Beyond the practical methods above to assess company health, you can also consider the benefits the company offers.

These include annual leave, parental leave, marriage leave, employee outings, flexible work hours, snack and coffee areas, professional development allowances, salary adjustments, year-end bonuses, performance bonuses, transportation allowances, and more. At minimum, the company must comply with the Labor Standards Act, with labor and health insurance coverage. Modern startups typically offer excellent benefits, while large companies may be more traditional, with annual salary adjustments, promotions, or reduced pay during probation periods. Clarifying what you actually care about is more important.

【Finding a Good Job—Five Steps Series Overview】

One: Company Health Assessment

Two: Whether Job Conditions Suit You

Three: Referencing Others' Interview and Work Experiences is Essential

Four: Deconstructing Interview SOP to Reveal Company Culture

Five: Re-examine Yourself